214 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



FAMILY TANAGRIDJE. THE TANAGERS. 



This beautiful group of birds, the essential characters of which 

 are given on page 48, is represented within the United States by only 

 five species, one of them being somewhat doubtful as a member of 

 our fauna ; but in Tropical America, Tanagers form one of the prin- 

 cipal elements of a bird-fauna, which for variety has no parallel in 

 any other part of the world. It may interest the reader to know 

 that the five families of Neotropical birds which are represented by 

 the greatest number of species are absolutely peculiar to America, 

 these families being the Tanagers (Tanagrida), Tyrant Flycatchers 

 (Tyrannida), Wood-hewers (Dendrocolaptida), Ant Thrushes (For- 

 micariida), and Humming-birds (Trochilida). None of these fami- 

 lies have even true representatives in any part of the Old World, 

 the Sun-birds (Nectaridiida), which some have considered as rep- 

 resenting the Humming-birds, belonging to even a different order 

 (Passeres). There are besides those named above, many families of 

 birds, remarkable for brilliant coloring or other characteristics, 

 which are absolutely peculiar to the Neotropical Kegion ; prominent 

 examples being the Honey Creepers (C&reHdce), Manakins (Pipridce), 

 Cotingas (Cotingida), Puff-birds (Bucconida;), Jacamars (Galbulida), 

 and Toucans (Ramphastidce) . In number of species the Humming- 

 birds take the first rank, with nearly 450 known species, while the 

 Tanagers follow soon after, with about 380 species, or nearly as 

 many kinds as are included in the entire land-bird fauna of North 

 America ! With such a multitudinous host ranged under two fami- 

 lies alone, the statement seems less remarkable that the grand 

 total of Tropical American birds is something like 4,000 species, 

 or about one third of all that are known ! 



In comparison with such boundless wealth of bird-life, the meagre 

 Ornis of our northern continent must seem a well-tilled, if not 

 worn-out, field ; but notwithstanding its comparative sterility, and 

 long cultivation, by numerous devotees, there are more things yet 

 to be learned than can be discovered in the life-time of any man. 



